Washing-machine



J. B. KIRBY,

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.?

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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Jim 222222" 9M 6 W AMQ 6mm ZM/MT v J. B. KIRBY.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7. I9I8.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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J. B. KIRBY. wAsHme MACHINE. APPLICATlON FILED OCT- 7, I918.

. r m; m M m M m 6 I n RN 0 P W 5 25 3 1 1 w a m 1 5 2 3,1 96 22 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. KIRIBY, 0F CLEVELAND, QI-IIO.

WASHING-MACHINE.

Application filed October 7, 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Washing-Hachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to washing machines and has for its general object the provision of a small, compact, power-operated washing device of simple constructlon and light weight, adapted to be attached to existing tubs, whether round or square, of metal or stone, and to wash efiiciently the clothing or fabrics therein contained. Qther objects of the invention are the provlsion of a device of this character which can be cheaply manufactured, which will have little or no tendency to get out of order, which will wash clothing with all the efliciency of larger and more expensive machines, and which will mix and agitate the clothing or fabrics contained in the tub so thoroughly as to cleanse all parts of the same efficiently. Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as this description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application, wherein I have shown one embodiment of my sald invention, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through my improved washing ma chine, showing the same attached to a metal wash-tub and driven by a belt; Fig. 2 is a horizontal, central, sectional view through my improved machine showing the same attached to a circular tub as in Fig. 1 but driven by an individual electric motor; Fig. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a reverse elevation of the washing machine shown in Fig. 3 but removed from the tub; Fig. 5 represents a top plan view of the washing machine aflixed to a square or stone tub; Fig. 6 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a detail view corresponding to the 1ine,77 of Fig. 2.

Describing by reference characters the various parts shown in the drawings, 1 represents the base and 2 the top or cover of a hollow gear casing. The part 1 is formed with three bearing sleeves, 3, 4, 5, prefer- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Serial No. 257,109.

ably arranged in a row, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the plane of the casing. I have shown adjacent sleeves as connected by integral webs 66 for purposes of strength. Projecting laterally from veach side of the sleeve 4 is a curvilinear arm 7 forming a bracket. These arms define the segment of a circle whose axis is parallel to the plane including the sleeves 3 and 4 and whose plane is parallel to the axes of the sleeves 3 and 4. The radius of the circle defined by these arms is equal to the semidiameter of the smallest wash-tub with which the device is likely to be used. It will be seen that when these bracket arms are applied to the rim of a wash-tub, the casing will be supported in an upright position, with the sleeves 3 and 4 horizontal and located exactly one above the other.

In order to facilitate the attachment of the device to a metal tub as shown at 10, which type of tub is generally or always formed with a rolled rim 11, the arm 7 is made with a flat horizontal portion 12 adapted to rest upon the rim and an outer depending flange 13 having at its lower edge an inwardly turned portion 14 adapted to embrace said rim. Threaded in the top portion of each arm adjacent to the end thereof is a vertical clamp screw 15 having a conical point 16 adapted to project inside the rim and force the same into contact with the flange 13.

Journaled in the sleeves 3 and 4 are the rotatable shafts 20 and 21, having secured thereto inside the casing the equal sized gear wheels 2222 and having secured to their opposite ends the equal crank-arms 23-23. Journaled in the sleeve 5 is a third shaft 24 provided inside the casing with a gear wheel 25 meshing with both the gears 22-22. One of the three shafts, here shown as the shaft 24, projects through the cover 2, and is provided with the drive wheel 26. The arms 23-23 are set in the same phase, and always retain the same phase owing to the similarity in size of the gear wheels with which they revolve. The relative sizes of the gears 22 and 25 may vary widely. but it is preferred to make the gear 25 small and to rotate the same together with the drive wheel 26, because of the great speed-reduction thus se cured, which reduction is made even more effective by forming the wheel 26 of a rather large size. l have shown the gear as located between the wheels 9,222 and have shown the casing as of dumbbell shape, conforming closely to the margin of the gears.

Journaled in the free end oi each of the arms 2323 is a horizontal stud 30 formed at its end with a cylindrical eye 31 in which is slidably mounted the rod 32 to whose lower end there is rigidly attached the pounder 33, here taking the form of a bell or inverted cup, as is the preferable construction. iidjustably secured to this rod between the eyes 31-431 a collar 35, between which and the upper eye there is introduced a helical spring 36. Upon rotating the gears 22-22 it is clear that the arms will rotate simultaneously in equal phase, imparting to the pounder 32 a circular movement defined by the dotted line 37 in Fig. 3, but keeping its axis always vertical.

If desired this rotation can be eil'ected by means oi a belt 38 applied to the wheel 26 as shown in Fig. 1, but more frequently this rotation is effected by means of an electric motor carried by the device and having upon its armature shaft a friction wheel 39 rubbing against the periphery of the wheel 26. as shown in Fig. 2. l have shown this motor as, contained within a casing 40 pivoted to the casing 2 at the point 41 on an axis parallel with the motor shaft and to the axis of the wheel 26, the point 1;] being so located relatively to the motor shaft that the weight of the motor forces the wheel 39 into operative relation with the wheel 26.

I have also shown a pivoted clainp menr ber 4-5 mounted upon the sleeve l and projecting below the flange 13 in opposition to the lower part of the casing l. 'l he opposite end of this clamp is provided. with a clamping screw 46 by means of which the device can be secured upon a square tub, the arms '7? meanwhile projecting freely across the top of the tub 5.

By adjusting the collar 35, the pounder should be raised and lowered so as to compensate for tubs of different depth and for diflerent volumes of fabric. The spring 36 prevents, breaking strains, while the circular motion of the pounder 83 not only causes a rubbing action of the fabrics against the tub-bottom thus increasing the washing effect, but also produces a progressive motion of the clothing about the interior of the tub, whether the same be round or square, and thus subjects all portions of the fabrics to the cleansing action.

The clamping mechanism herein described is peculiarly efiicient in distributing strains over a large section of the tub and thus preventing crystallization and breaking of the metal. This is primarily effected by clamping to the wire rim instead of to the tub wall, and I have found this clamping most nets easily and efiiciently performed by disposing the clamp members to engage the inside of the tub.

It will be obvious that my improved at taching device is valuable in connection with other apparatus than washing machines, for example, wringers; it will also be obvious that many changes can be made in the construction and details of my washing apparatus without any departure from my inventive idea, all of which changes I desire to include in and by the claims hereto annexed.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is 2- 1. In a device of the character descril L a casing, a pair of parallel bearing slee. carried by said casing, means for securing said casing upon a tub in upri ht position with said sleeves substantially horizontal, a shaft in each sleeve, equal sized ge carried by said shafts inside said casan idler gear journaled in said casing? and meshing with both gears, means for driving one of-said gears, cranks carried by said shafts and projecting therefrom in equal phase, a single connecting rod connected to both cranks, and a pounder carried by said rod.

2. In a washing machine, a tub, a support carried thereby, a single pounder located eccentrically of said tub, and means for imparting to said pounder a circular motion in. a path which lies between the center and side of said tub while maintaining the axis of said pounder substantially vertical at all times.

3, In a washing machine, a tub, a support carried by the tub wall and having a pair of cranks pivoted thereto, one above the other with their axes horizontal, means for rotating said cranks at the same speed, a single connecting rod articulated to both cranks and depending into said tub at a point at one side of the tub-center, and a pounder carried by said rod.

4. In a washing machine, a casing having a pair of parallel bearing sleeves, means for securing said casing to the side of a washtub with said sleeves horizontal and disposed one above the other, shafts in said. sleeves, equal sized gear wheels connected to said shai'ts inside the casing, cranks carried by said shafts outside said casing, a connecting rod articulated to both shafts, pounding 120 means carried by said rod between the center and side oi the tub, third gear meshing with said first gears, and means for applying power to one of said gears to ro tate the same. 125

5. In a washing machine, combinan, a pair o cr nk pi o ed one above e other h t ir or zon a tud piv e t ach ran and. having an y a conn c ng mi pass ng thraug oth eyes, 139

a collar adjustably clamped upon said rod and fixing the position thereof relative to said eyes, means for rotating said cranks simultaneously, and a pounder carried by said rod.

6. In a washing machine, in combination, a pair of cranks pivoted one above the other with their axes horizontal, a stud pivoted to each crank and having an eye, a connecting rod passing through both eyes, a collar adjustably clamped upon said rod beneath one of said eyes, a spring interposed between said collar and eye, a pounder carried by said rod and means for rotating said cranks simultaneously.

7. In a device of the character described, a support, a pair of gears journaled in said support upon parallel axes, one above the other, a third gear meshing with both said first gears, a drive wheel rotating with said third gear, a motor having a friction wheel, said motor being pivoted to said support in such position that its weight brings said friction wheel against said drive Wheel,

cranks on said shafts, and a pounder operatively connected to said cranks.

8. In a washing machine, a hollow casing having a pair of parallel bearing sleeves projecting from one wall and an aperture in the opposite wall, shafts journaled in said sleeves, equal-sized gear wheels connected to the inner ends of said shafts, equal-sized cranks connected to the outer ends of said shafts, a driving shaft projecting through said aperture, a gear on said shaft meshing with said first gears, a drive wheel on said last shaft located upon the opposite side of said casing from said cranks, means for securing said casing to the wall of a tub with said drive wheel outside the limits of said tub and said cranks overhanging said tub, a connecting rod articulated to both cranks and a pounder carried by the lower end of said rod.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

. JAMES B. KIRBY. 

